Dhivehi/Grammar

Main Parts of Speech

The main parts of speech in Dhivehi are nouns, pronouns, numerals, verbs, adjectives, demonstratives and postpositions (rather than prepositions) and adverbs. Some parts of speech will be covered extensively below.

Nouns

Nouns in Dhivehi are divided into two subcategories: human and non-human nouns.

Human nouns:

މީހާ<n><sg><def> ↔ މީހާ (person)
ފުލުސް<n><sg><def> ↔ ފުލުސް (police)

Non-human nouns:

ކަކުނި<n><sg><def> ↔ ކަކުނި (crab)
ކަފަ<n><def> ↔ ކަފަ (cotton)

Pronouns

Personal Pronouns

Interrogative Pronouns

Numerals

Verbs

Adjectives

Postpositions and Adverbs

Dhviehi uses postpositions and no prepositions. Postpositions are generally derived from nouns. There are nominal postpositions, verbal postpositions, and other postpositions. The tag for postposition is <post>. މާ ެ ލެ ތޭ ރަ ގ 'in Malé'

Demonstratives

Demonstratives are functional words that are used frequently in Dhivehi. They could function as determiners, pronouns, and adverbs. There are three degrees of contrast in the demonstratives - 1st degree is near the speaker (this/these - *(insert މި here))2nd degree is near the addressee (that/those - ތި ), and 3rd degree is elsewhere(that/those over there - އެ ). We will mark the degree of the demonstratives with <deg1>, <deg2>, and <deg3>.

When they are prefixed to a noun, they function as determiners. When they are prefixed to a verb, they function as adverbs, taking on a local or temporal meaning depending on the context. For example, the 1st-degree demonstrative adverb could mean "now" or "here", while the 2nd-degree demonstrative adverb could mean "then, afterward" or "there, near you". To function as pronouns, they are prefixed to the word "thing" or "things", with a slight change in pronunciation.

Demonstratives as pronouns

މިތި <prn><deg1> ↔ (this/it)
ތީތި <prn><deg2> ↔ (that/it)
އޭތި <prn><deg3> ↔ (that (over there)/it)
މިއެއްޗެހި <prn><deg1><pl> ↔ (these/they)
ތިއެއްޗެހި <prn><deg2><pl> ↔ (those/they)
އެއެއްޗެހި <prn><deg3><pl> ↔ (those (over there)/they)

Demonstratives as determiners

މި <det><deg1> + ރާޖްޖެ <n><def> ↔ މިރާޖްޖެ (this country)
ތި <det><deg2> + ފޮތް <n><def> ↔ ތިފޮތް (that book)
އެ <det><deg3> + ކުއްތާތައް <n><pl><def> ↔ އެކުއްތާތައް (those dogs over there)

Demonstratives as adverbs

މި <adv><deg1> + އޮތީ <v><ger> + ފޮތް <n><def> ↔ ފޮތްމިއޮތީ (The book is here.)

Pluralization

Pluralization of Dhivehi nouns is different for human and non-human nouns. It is worth noting that non-human beings with rationality, like angels and gods, would be considered as human nouns. Animals could also be considered as human nouns if they are given human characteristics (e.g. animal characters in fables). In addition, there are exceptions for boats (yes, specifically for boats) and personal names/kinship terms.

Non Human nouns

To pluralize non-human nouns, just simply add the suffix "-tak" (ތައް) to the end of the noun as shown below. However, if the plurality of the non-human noun is clear from context, the plural suffix is omitted. For example, when numbers are used with the noun, the plural suffix is omitted.

އާފަލު<n><pl> ↔ އާފަލުތައް (apples)
ފޮތް<n><pl> ↔ ފޮތްތައް (books)
ދޫނި<n><pl> ↔ ދޫނިތައް (birds)
ތަރި<n><pl> ↔ ތަރިތައް (stars)
މަގު<n><pl> ↔ މަގުތައް (streets)

Omitted plural suffix:

ދެ <num> + ފޮތް <n><pl> ↔ ދެފޮތް (two books)
ތިން <num> + ތަރި <n><pl> ↔ ތިންތަރި (three stars)
ހަތަރު <num> + ދޫނި <n><pl> ↔ ހަތަރުދޫނި (four birds)

Human nouns

The pluralization of human nouns depends on the word final. The suffix "-n" (ން) is used after the vowel "i" (އި) or "u" (އު). The suffix "-in" (އިން) is used after any other vowels. The suffix "-un"(އުން) is used after any consonants.

ރަދުން<n><pl> ↔ ރަދުނުން (kings) *added "-un"
ޒުވާން <n><pl> ↔ ޒުވާނުން (young people) *added "-un"
މުދައްރިސް <n><pl> ↔ މުދައްރިސުން (teachers) *added "-un"
ޑޮކްޓަރު <n><pl> ↔ ޑޮކްޓަރުން (doctors) *added "-n"
މުސްލިމު <n><pl> ↔ މުސްލިމުން (Muslims) *added "-n"
ކަކާ <n><pl> ↔ ކަކާއިން (chefs) *added "-in"
ވަރިޔާ <n><pl> ↔ ވަރިޔާއިން (leaders) *added "-in"

Boats

Boats in Dhivehi is considered as a semantic category that includes aircraft "airplane" and watercraft "ships". The suffix "-faharu" (ފަހަރު) is used for boats, as shown below:

ނާ <n><pl> ↔ ނާފަހަރު (sailing ships)
މަތިންދާ ބޯޓު <n><pl> ↔ މަތިންދާ ބޯޓުފަހަރު (airplnes)
ބޯޓު <n><pl> ↔ ބޯޓުފަހަރު (boats)

Names/Kinship terms

Personal names and kinship terms are pluralized using the suffix "-men" (މެން).

މަންމަ <n><pl> ↔ މަންމަމެން (mothers)
ބައްޕަ <n><pl> ↔ ބައްޕަމެން (fathers)

Cases

The following are the main cases in Dhivehi:

case name	~meaning	tag	possible forms	Non-human noun:	Human noun:
nominative	subject	`<nom>`	—	`<n><nom>` ↔	`<n><nom>` ↔
accusative	direct object	`<acc>`	—	`<n><acc>` ↔	`<n><acc>` ↔
genitive	possessor	`<gen>`	ގެ \| އުގެ \| ލުގެ \| އިގެ \| އެގެ \|	`<n><gen>` ↔	`<n><gen>` ↔
locative	"at, in, on"	`<loc>`	ގައި \| އުގައި \| ލުގައި \| އިގައި \| އެގައި \|	`<n><loc>` ↔	`<n><loc>` ↔
ablative	"from"	`<abl>`	އުން \| ލުން \| އިން \| ން \|	`<n><abl>` ↔	`<n><abl>` ↔
instrumental	"by the means of"	`<ins>`	އުން \| ލުން \| އިން \| ން \|	`<n><ins>` ↔	`<n><ins>` ↔
dative	"to, for"	`<dat>`	-nas, -as, -las, -yas	`<n><dat>` ↔	`<n><dat>` ↔
sociative	"with"	`<soc>`	-na, -a, -la -ya,	`<n><soc>` ↔	`<n><soc>` ↔